Caesarean babies 'face death risk'

Babies born by Caesarean could be over 70% more likely to die than those born naturally, new research suggests.

A study involving more than 94,000 women found higher risks for mothers and babies when Caesareans were compared with normal births.

Experts found that women having a Caesarean delivery had twice the risk of illness - such as hysterectomies, blood transfusions and admission to intensive care - and death as women giving birth normally. They also had a five times higher risk of having antibiotics after birth than those giving birth normally.

Those having a Caesarean included some women opting for one as a lifestyle choice.

Babies were also at twice the risk of admission to a neonatal intensive care unit and had more than 70% higher risk of death.

That figure included elective Caesareans and those chosen by a doctor, but excluded emergency caesareans for life-threatening conditions and those for breech births.

Breech babies born by Caesarean had a much higher chance of survival and lower overall risk than if they had been born normally, the study by a team at Oxford University found.

The team analysed available data on 94,307 women who gave birth in Latin America, which included a mix of normal and Caesarean births.

Of the total number, 31 821 (33.7%) were Caesarean deliveries, of which 58.5% were operations needed once labour had started and 41.5% were elective.

The experts said there were various paths to a woman having a Caesarean, including in an emergency, where complications were suspected and for "social-cultural-economical-legal factors, including women's demand".